Security system tracking of remote items using reduced power

ABSTRACT

A mobile tracking unit includes a controller having a processor, a memory in electronic communication with the processor, and instructions stored in the memory. The instructions are executable by the processor to communicate with a control unit of an automation and security system, determine a position of the mobile tracking unit relative to a base station using a low power location module, and communicate the position of the mobile tracking unit to at least one of the base station and a control unit of the automation and security system. When the mobile tracking unit is outside a specified range from the mobile tracking unit, the controller continues tracking the position of the mobile tracking unit with the low power location module. When the mobile tracking unit is inside the specified range, the controller determines the position of the mobile tracking unit using a high power location module.

CROSS REFERENCE

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/227,755, filed Aug. 3, 2016, and entitled SECURITY SYSTEM TRACKING OFREMOTE ITEMS USING REDUCED POWER, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/202,789, filed Mar. 10, 2014, and entitledSECURITY SYSTEM TRACKING OF REMOTE ITEMS USING REDUCED POWER, whichclaims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 61/794,298, filed Mar. 15, 2013, and entitled SECURITY SYSTEMTRACKING OF REMOTE ITEMS USING REDUCED POWER, which has been assigned tothe assignee hereof. The disclosures of each of which are incorporatedby reference herein in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to security systems and/or automationsystems and, more specifically, to tracking remote items from a basestation, such as a control unit of a security system or automationsystem. In some embodiments, approaches that preserve battery life ofthe mobile tracking unit may be used to track a remote item.

BACKGROUND

Security systems are widely used to protect property and providepersonal safety. Security systems generally include a control unit,which controls the overall operation of the system, one or more keypadsfor user access to the system, and various detectors and sensors.

Security systems may generate an alarm in response to any number ofevents, such as unauthorized entry, fire, medical emergency or manualalarm activation. Further, a security system may be associated with aservice that remotely monitors the status of the security system. Thus,if the security system generates an alarm, a notification signal may betransmitted via a wired and/or wireless communications link to a centralstation. Upon receiving the notification signal, security servicepersonnel at the central station may attempt to contact the propertyowner or other party at the secured location to verify the alarm. If itis appropriate to do so, the security service personnel may, uponconfirmation of the alarm, contact an emergency response agency (e.g.,the police department, the fire department or an emergency medical team,etc.).

Security systems have therefore enhanced the ability of homeowners andbusinesses to monitor their premises and to protect against break-insand the crimes that may accompany them (e.g., theft, damage to property,assault and battery, stalking, intrusion into privacy, etc.).

Automation systems for buildings (e.g., homes, etc.) and space inbuildings (e.g., apartments, condominiums, retail space, office space,etc.) are installed for convenience, efficiency and to enable theoccupants of a building or space within a building to remotely controldevices within that space.

The roles of security systems and automations systems continue toexpand. Many homes and businesses contain valuable property that may beremoved from the premises. For example, a homeowner may have a laptopcomputer, an automobile, or other valuables that may be removed from thepremises. A home owner may want to know the whereabouts of the children.Some items, such as a purse or car keys, may be easily misplaced.

Mobile tracking units may be attached to such items to help monitortheir locations. However, power management of the mobile tracking unitsmay be a significant problem; it is inconvenient to constantly rechargemobile tracking units. Furthermore, if the mobile tracking unit drainsthe battery before it may be found, the mobile tracking unit becomesessentially useless.

SUMMARY

Disclosed herein are devices and approaches to locating a mobiletracking unit in an efficient manner. In one specific embodiment, amobile tracking unit comprising includes a controller for an automationand security system. The controller includes a processor, a memory inelectronic communication with the processor, and instructions stored inthe memory, the instructions being executable by the processor tocommunicate with a control unit of the automation and security system,determine a position of the mobile tracking unit relative to a basestation using a low power location module, and communicate the positionof the mobile tracking unit to at least one of the base station and acontrol unit of the automation and security system. When the mobiletracking unit is outside a specified range from the mobile trackingunit, the instructions are executable by the processor to continuetracking the position of the mobile tracking unit with the low powerlocation module. When the mobile tracking unit is inside the specifiedrange from the mobile tracking unit, the instructions are executable bythe processor to determine the position of the mobile tracking unitusing a high power location module.

In one example, the controller may receive a message indicating whetherthe base station is outside the specified range. The controller maycommunicate the position of the mobile tracking unit over a cellularnetwork. The controller may communicate the position of the mobiletracking unit using the high power location module. The low powerlocation module may be one of a wireless Internet module and a cellularnetwork module. The high power location module may include a globalpositioning system (GPS) module. The controller may be configured toenter a low power mode for a sleep interval after communicating theposition of the mobile tracking unit. The controller may dynamicallyadjusts a length of the sleep interval based on change in position ofthe mobile tracking unit. The controller may dynamically adjusts alength of the sleep interval based on proximity of the mobile trackingunit to the base station. The controller may be configured to maintainan active power mode after communicating the position of the mobiletracking unit. The controller may be configured to determine whether theposition of the mobile tracking unit is substantially different from amost recently communicated position of the mobile tracking unit, andcommunicate the position of the mobile tracking unit to the base stationin response to the position of the mobile tracking unit beingsubstantially different from the most recently communicated position.

Another embodiment is directed to a system that includes a control unitfor one of a security system and an automation system communicativelycoupled with a mobile tracking unit, and a base station configured tolocate the mobile tracking unit. The mobile tracking unit is configuredto provide a current location of the mobile tracking unit to the basestation and includes a cellular module configured to communicate over acellular network, a global positioning system (GPS) module configured toobtain location information for the mobile tracking unit using a GPSnetwork, and a controller configured to determine the current locationof the mobile tracking unit using the cellular module if a distanceseparating the base station and the mobile tracking unit is greater thana first value, and determine the current location of the mobile trackingunit using the GPS module if the distance separating the base stationand the mobile tracking unit is less than the first value.

In one example, the mobile tracking unit may provide the currentlocation to the base station by communicating the current location tothe control unit. The mobile tracking unit may provide the currentlocation to the base station by communicating the current locationdirectly to the base station. The control unit may be configured toreceive an active tracking event from a user, store the active trackingevent, and communicate the active tracking event to the mobile trackingunit.

A further embodiment relates to a computer-implemented method operableusing an automation and security system. The method includes determininga current position of a mobile tracking unit, determining a currentposition of a base station, determining a next position of the mobiletracking unit using a low power location module in response to adifference between the current position of the mobile tracking unit andthe current position of the base station being greater than a predefinedvalue, and determining a next position of the mobile tracking unit usinga high power location module in response to a difference between thecurrent position of the mobile tracking unit and the current position ofthe base station being greater than a predefined value.

The method may also include communicating the current position of themobile tracking unit to the base station. The method may further includeputting a controller of the mobile tracking unit in a low power mode fora sleep interval following each communication of the current position ofthe mobile tracking unit using the low power location module. The methodmay include determining a current position of the mobile tracking unitusing the low power location module while there is no active trackingevent that is open. The method may include determining a currentposition of the mobile tracking unit using the high power locationmodule while there is an active tracking event that is open.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technicaladvantages of examples according to the disclosure in order that thedetailed description that follows may be better understood. Additionalfeatures and advantages will be described hereinafter. The conceptionand specific examples disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis formodifying or designing other structures for carrying out the samepurposes of the present disclosure. Such equivalent constructions do notdepart from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Features whichare believed to be characteristic of the concepts disclosed herein, bothas to their organization and method of operation, together withassociated advantages will be better understood from the followingdescription when considered in connection with the accompanying figures.Each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration anddescription only, and not as a definition of the limits of the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the embodimentsmay be realized by reference to the following drawings. In the appendedfigures, similar components or features may have the same referencelabel. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguishedby following the reference label by a dash and a second label thatdistinguishes among the similar components. If only the first referencelabel is used in the specification, the description is applicable to anyone of the similar components having the same first reference labelirrespective of the second reference label.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a security or automation system;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a control unit of asecurity system or an automation system;

FIG. 3 illustrates a control unit of a security system or automationsystem communicatively coupled to a base station and a mobile trackingunit via a network;

FIG. 4 depicts the control unit, the base station, the mobile trackingunit, and a GPS system that are communicatively coupled;

FIG. 5 is an illustrative block diagram depicting a diagram showingoverlapping ranges which may be used to locate a mobile tracking unit;

FIG. 6 is an illustrative block diagram depicting communication betweenthe mobile tracking unit and the base station outside a specified range;

FIG. 7 is an illustrative block diagram depicting communication betweenthe mobile tracking unit and the base station inside a specified range;

FIG. 8 is an illustrative block diagram depicting one embodiment of amobile tracking unit;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method for tracking a mobiletracking unit;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating another method for tracking a mobiletracking unit; and

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating another method for tracking a mobiletracking unit.

While the embodiments described herein are susceptible to variousmodifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have beenshown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detailherein. However, the exemplary embodiments described herein are notintended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, theinstant disclosure covers all modifications, equivalents, andalternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring in general to the accompanying drawings, various embodimentsof the present disclosure are illustrated to show the structure andmethods for installing a component within a system, such as a securitysystem or an automation system. Security and automation systems maygenerally be referred to herein as an automation and security system oran automation system (e.g., having security features). Common elementsof the illustrated embodiments are designated with like numerals. Itshould be understood that the figures presented are not meant to beillustrative of actual views of any particular portion of the actualdevice structure, but are merely schematic representations which areemployed to more clearly and fully depict embodiments of the disclosure.

The following provides a more detailed description of the presentdisclosure and various representative embodiments thereof. In thisdescription, functions may be shown in block diagram form in order notto obscure the present disclosure in unnecessary detail. Additionally,block definitions and partitioning of logic between various blocks isexemplary of a specific implementation. It will be readily apparent toone of ordinary skill in the art that the present disclosure may bepracticed by numerous other partitioning solutions. For the most part,details concerning timing considerations and the like have been omittedwhere such details are not necessary to obtain a complete understandingof the present invention and are within the abilities of persons ofordinary skill in the relevant art.

In this description, some drawings may illustrate signals as a singlesignal for clarity of presentation and description. It will beunderstood by a person of ordinary skill in the art that the signal mayrepresent a bus of signals, wherein the bus may have a variety of bitwidths and the present disclosure may be implemented on any number ofdata signals including a single data signal.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an automation and security system100, which may also be referred to as an “alarm system” or a “securitysystem.” Security system 100 includes sensors 101, a control unit 102(also referred to as a control panel), monitoring system 103, and remoteactivation system 131. Communication links 104 (which may be acombination of wired and wireless communication links) couple sensors101 to control unit 102. Wired communication links may include circuitloops that are either detected as closed or open. In some embodiments,sensors 101 and control unit 102 are located in the same facility, suchas in the same residence or in the same building. Communication link 106(which may be a wired telephone connection, wired or wireless networkconnection, cellular connection, etc., or combination thereof) maycouple the control unit 102 to monitoring system 103. In otherembodiments, the system shown in FIG. 1 may be implemented without amonitoring system 103.

Sensors 101 monitor for certain events and report relevant events to thecontrol unit 102. Sensors 101 may include any of a variety of differenttypes of sensors, such as door and window sensors, motion sensors, glassbreak sensors (e.g., sensors that detect a physical break or detectingthe sound of a glass break), etc. The control unit 102 may be configuredto monitor sensors 101 for alarm conditions via communication links 104and relay alarms to monitoring system 103 via communication link 106.

Control unit 102 may include sensor monitoring module 111, userinterface 112, and alarm module 113. Sensor monitoring module 111 isconfigured to monitor sensors 101. Sensors 101 may sense and/or indicatea change in their physical surroundings (e.g., a normally closedconnection becomes open, a signal indicating that the sound of breakingglass was detected, etc.) which may be indicative of an unauthorizedaccess. The sensors 101 may communicate the event on communication links104. For example, a circuit connected to a door sensor may transitionfrom closed to open (or to a resistance exceeding a pre-determinedresistance threshold) indicating that a door has been opened. A motionsensor may send an electrical signal indicative of detected motion.Sensor monitoring module 111 may monitor communication links 104 forindications and signals sent from sensors 101. Upon sensor monitoringmodule 111 receiving an indication or signal of a change in physicalsurroundings, sensor monitoring module 111 may send the indication orsignal to alarm module 113. When appropriate, alarm module 113 may treata monitored indication or signal from a sensor as an alarm condition.

User interface 112 may include an input interface and an outputinterface. The input interface may comprise a physical input interfaceor virtual input interface that includes one or more a numeric key pad(e.g., for entering a disarm code, etc.), sensor activation buttons,physical duress buttons, etc. The input interface may also include acondenser for receiving audio input and/or communicating with monitoringsystem 103. The output interface may include an output display devicethat displays system status, such as armed and disarmed, sensors/zonesthat have detected change in physical surroundings, etc. The outputinterface may also include a speaker that audibly outputs informationsimilar to that displayed on the output display device. The speaker mayalso be used by monitoring system 103 to communicate with a user ofcontrol unit 102.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a control unit 102.Control unit 102 may include a processor 122, memory 124, transducer136, transceiver 144, and user interface 112. User interface 112 mayinclude various input/output (I/O) devices, such as a display 134, whichmay comprise a touch screen, and keypad 140. Control unit 102 mayfurther include a transceiver 144 for receiving and transmitting dataover a network. It is noted that a “communication interface” as referredto herein may comprise transceiver 144 and user interface 112. Thecontrol unit 102 may be capable of communicating over more than onenetwork; for example, the control unit 102 may be capable ofcommunicating with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, awireless Internet network, a cellular network, and others.

Generally, control unit 102 may operate under control of an operatingsystem stored in memory 124, and interface with a user to accept inputsand commands and to present outputs through user interface 112. Controlunit 102 may also implement a compiler (not shown) which allows one ormore application programs (not shown) written in a programming languageto be translated into processor 122 readable code. In one embodiment,instructions implementing an application program may be tangiblyembodied in a computer-readable medium. Further, an application programmay include instructions which, when read and executed by processor 122,may cause processor 122 to perform the steps necessary to implementand/or use embodiments of the present disclosure. It is noted that anapplication program and/or operating instructions may also be tangiblyembodied in memory 124 and/or data communications devices, therebymaking a computer program product or article of manufacture according toan embodiment of the present disclosure. As such, the term “applicationprogram” as used herein is intended to encompass a computer programaccessible from any computer readable device or media. Furthermore,portions of the application program may be distributed such that someaspects of the application program may be included on a computerreadable media within control unit 102, and some aspects of theapplication program may be included in a remote device, such as a remotecomputer.

The control unit 102 may further include a tracking apparatus 200. Thetracking apparatus 200 may be realized as hardware, firmware, software,or some combination thereof. The tracking apparatus 200 may includecomputer executable instructions stored in memory 124 for execution bythe processor 122 of the control unit 102. The tracking apparatus 200may monitor the location of one or more mobile tracking units andprovide information concerning the location of the one or more mobiletracking units through the user interface 112. For example, the trackingapparatus 200 may cause the user interface 112 to display a map and thelocations of the one or more mobile tracking units on the map. Thetracking apparatus 200 may be further configured to transmit informationto and from the mobile tracking units.

In certain embodiments, the tracking apparatus 200 may log theinformation representing the positions of the mobile tracking unit thatare reported to the control unit 102. The tracking apparatus 200 may logthe positional information in a database. The tracking apparatus 200 mayfurther associate the positional information with a time the positionalinformation was received. This may allow the tracking apparatus 200 toprovide accurate information about the movement and location of themobile tracking unit that generated the positional information over aperiod of time.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a systemcomprising the control unit 102, a base station 302, and a mobiletracking unit 304. The control unit 102, the base station 302, and themobile tracking unit 304 may be communicatively coupled bycommunications links 306. The communications links 306 may include acellular link, a wireless Internet link, or other of a variety ofcommunications links 306.

The base station 302 is a portable electronic device capable ofcommunicating information over a communications link 306. The basestation 302 may be a cellular phone, a tablet computer, a laptopcomputer, the control unit 102, or other variety of portable electronicdevice. The base station 302, in a preferred embodiment, has access to acommunications network that is available over a large geographic regionsuch as a cellular network. The base station 302 may have softwareimplemented thereon enabling the base station 302 to perform thefunctions described below. For example, the base station 302 may be acellular phone with an application enabling the cellular phone toperform the functions of the base station 302 described herein.

The mobile tracking unit 304 is a portable electronic device capable ofcommunication information over a communications link 306. Like the basestation 302, the mobile tracking unit 304 preferably has access to acommunications network that is available over a large geographic region.The mobile tracking unit 304 may be a small, physical tag that may beattached to keys, a purse, a child, a pet, or other object, person, orthing that a user may want to locate. In other embodiments, the mobiletracking unit 304 is a portable electronic device such as a cellularphone, a laptop, or other device that may be equipped with software toprovide the functionality described below.

As noted above, a device implementing a mobile tracking unit 304 (e.g.,a cellular phone) or attached to a mobile tracking unit 304 (e.g., a setof keys) may be easily misplaced. The mobile tracking unit 304 providesits current location such that a user may locate the mobile trackingunit 304. The mobile tracking unit 304 may provide its current locationto the base station 302, the control unit 102, or both. The mobiletracking unit 304 may provide its current location to the base station302 directly by, for example, sending a message that includes thecurrent location to an address of the base station 302. The mobiletracking unit 304 may provide its current location to the base station302 indirectly by, for example, sending a message that includes thecurrent location to an address of the control unit 102, where the basestation 302 may then retrieve the message. In other embodiments, themobile tracking unit 304 may send its current location directly to thebase station 302 and the control unit 102.

In one embodiment, the control unit 102 is provided with a feature(e.g., a soft button or hard button) allowing a user to determine thelocation of the mobile tracking unit 304. In response to the userrequesting location information, the mobile tracking unit 304 may reportits location. In certain embodiments, each mobile tracking unit 304associated with the control unit 102 provides its location to thecontrol unit 102 at regular intervals. In other embodiments, the usermay select a particular mobile tracking unit 304 and request itsposition from the control unit 102.

In one embodiment, the control unit 102 is configured to monitor whetheror not a mobile tracking unit 304 is within a predetermined range of thecontrol unit 102. The range may be defined as a certain distance fromthe control unit 102. In another embodiment, the range is specified ascertain geographic areas, such as an area defined by a set of streets ona map. The user may define the range using the control unit 102. Thecontrol unit 102 may be configured to alert a user if a mobile trackingunit 304 is outside of the range. For example, a user may define a rangethat corresponds to the house and yard where the control unit 102 isinstalled. If a toddler with the mobile tracking unit 304 attached tohim leaves the range, the control unit 102 may sound to notify the user.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may, in certain embodiments, sendinformation directly to the base station 302. In other embodiments, themobile tracking unit 304 sends information to the base station 302through one or more intermediate devices; for example, the mobiletracking unit 304 may send data to the cloud, and the base station mayretrieve that information from the cloud, and vice versa. Certaincommunication modules may use different approaches for communication;for example, an RFID module of the mobile tracking unit 304 maycommunicate directly with the base station 302 while a GSM modulecommunicates with the cloud.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may include a low power location module 310and a high power location module 312 that may determine the currentlocation of the mobile tracking unit 304. The low power location module310 may be able to determine the current location of the mobile trackingunit 304 with relatively low power expenditure, but it may haverelatively low precision. For example, the low power location module 310may be a wireless Internet module as described in greater detail below.A wireless Internet module may connect to a wireless Internetconnection, allowing an approximate location of the mobile tracking unit304 to be determined. The mobile tracking unit 304 may report that itslocation is within a certain distance of the device generating thewireless Internet signal to which mobile tracking unit 304 hasconnected. This may provide a reasonable estimate of the location of themobile tracking unit 304 at a relatively low cost in terms of powerconsumption. Providing the current location of the mobile tracking unit304 using the low power location module 310 may thus help preservebattery life for the mobile tracking unit 304. The low power locationmodule 310 may be an RFID module, a cellular module, a BlueTooth module,or other.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may include a high power location module312. The high power location module 312 generally determines theposition of the mobile tracking unit 304 with higher precision than thelow power location module 310. For example, the high power locationmodule 312 may be a global positioning system (GPS) module. The GPSmodule may determine with considerable accuracy the location of themobile tracking unit 304; however, GPS modules tend to requiresignificant amounts of power that may quickly run the battery of themobile tracking unit 304 empty. When the battery of the mobile trackingunit 304 is empty, its usefulness is severely diminished.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may be configured to provide a position ofthe mobile tracking unit 304 using the low power location module 310 ifthe position of the base station 302 is outside a specified range fromthe mobile tracking unit 304. For example, the mobile tracking unit 304may use the low power location module 310 while the base station 302 ismore than one mile from the mobile tracking unit 304. At such adistance, the lower precision of the mobile tracking unit 304 is lesslikely to affect the ability of the person using the base station 302 tofind the mobile tracking unit 304.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may determine the position of the mobiletracking unit 304 using the high power location module 312 if theposition of the base station 302 is inside a specified range from themobile tracking unit 304. For example, as the user and the base station302 get closer to the mobile tracking unit 304, the mobile tracking unit304 may switch to a GPS system to obtain and provide more accurateinformation about the location of the mobile tracking unit 304. Themobile tracking unit 304 may then send that position to the base station302. The increased accuracy is thus provided when it is most likely tobe useful to the person seeking the mobile tracking unit 304, and mayprevent unnecessary battery usage.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may be further configured to use the highpower location module 312 only when the base station 302 is within aspecified range from the mobile tracking unit 304 and when an activetracking event for the mobile tracking unit 304 is open. For example, itmay be desirable to prevent the mobile tracking unit 304 from using thehigh power location module 312 when the location of the mobile trackingunit 304 is already known, or if the user is not looking for the mobiletracking unit 304. For example, the base station 302 and the mobiletracking unit 304 may be in close proximity when both are within theuser's house; however, the user may be aware of the location of themobile tracking unit 304. Using the high power location module 312 insuch a situation would unnecessarily use power. The user may create anactive tracking event to communicate to the mobile tracking unit 304that it is being sought, and to use the high power location module 312to aid in recovery of the mobile tracking unit 304.

The user may create an active tracking event using the control unit 102and/or the base station 302. In one embodiment, the active trackingevent is a true or false value that is stored in a database and that isretrieved by the mobile tracking unit 304 at intervals. In certainembodiments, the control unit 102 and/or the base station 302 notifiesthe user once the mobile tracking unit 304 receives the active trackingevent. In certain embodiments, described in greater detail below, it maybe desirable to initiate an active tracking event from the mobiletracking unit 304 as well.

In another embodiment, the user may use the base station to activate thehigh power location module 312 of the mobile tracking unit 304regardless of the position of the mobile tracking unit 304. For example,the user may know the general area of an object that is connected to themobile tracking unit 304, but may desire to get the exact location ofthat mobile tracking unit 304. In such a scenario, the user may instructthe mobile tracking unit 304 to use the high power location module 312to obtain a more precise location, regardless of the distance betweenthe base station 302 and the mobile tracking unit 304.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of one embodiment of a system having a controlunit 102, a mobile tracking unit 304, and a base station 302. In theembodiment shown in FIG. 4, the mobile tracking unit 304 and the basestation 302 have access to a GPS system 402 and a cellular network 404.The low power location module 310 may include a cellular module, and thehigh power location module 312 may include a GPS module.

The mobile tracking unit 304 and the base station 302 may be configuredto send messages over the cellular network 404. The mobile tracking unit304 may be in communication with the base station 302, the control unit102, or both through the cellular network 404. As part of a setupprocess, the mobile tracking unit 304 may be associated with the controlunit 102 and/or the base station 302 such that they may exchangeinformation over the cellular network 404.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may use the cellular module and thecellular network 404 to provide the current position of the mobiletracking unit 304. The mobile tracking unit 304 may provide thisinformation using a variety of approaches currently in use for locatingdevices, such as cellular phones, operating on a cellular network 404.For example, the position of the mobile tracking unit 304 may bedetermined using multilateration of radio signals between cellulartowers of the cellular network 404 and the mobile tracking unit 304.

The position of the mobile tracking unit 304 may be determined using thecellular network 404 by considering various types of positioninformation, including, but not limited to: the location of the cellulartowers in communication with the mobile tracking unit 304; the powerlevels of the signals between the cellular tower and the mobile trackingunit 304; and the antenna patterns associated with communication betweenthe cellular tower and the mobile tracking unit 304.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may provide the position of the mobiletracking unit 304 based on the cellular network 404 using an applicationinstalled on the mobile tracking unit 304. For example, the mobiletracking unit 304 may have software capable of identifying cellulartowers communicating with the mobile tracking unit 304 and otherposition information. The mobile tracking unit 304 may have a subscriberidentity module (SIM) card installed in connection with communicationover the cellular network 404. The mobile tracking unit 304 may useinformation from the SIM card and information about the cellular networkreceived by the mobile tracking unit 304 to determine the location ofthe mobile tracking unit 304.

In other embodiments, the cellular network 404 may be configured todetermine the location of the mobile tracking unit 304 withoutparticipation of the mobile tracking unit 304. The mobile tracking unit304 may send a message over the cellular network 404, which messageallows the cellular network 404 to determine the location of the mobiletracking unit 304 and to provide that location to the control unit 102and the base station 302. For example, the mobile tracking unit 304 maybe configured to send a roaming signal. The cellular network 404 may usecell identification and/or triangulation techniques to determine thelocation of the mobile tracking unit 304. By sending a communication toor over the cellular network 404 in order to cause the cellular network404 to determine the location of the mobile tracking unit 304, themobile tracking unit 304 may provide its position to the control unit102 and/or the base station 302.

In certain embodiments, the mobile tracking unit 304 is configured touse the cellular network 404 only if the mobile tracking unit 304 isunable to use another form of communication. In some situations, use ofa cellular network 404 may incur expense to the user. The mobiletracking unit 304 may be configured to use the cellular network 404 as alast resort in order to avoid unnecessary costs.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may be configured to enter a low power mode(such as a sleep mode) between communications of its current position.The mobile tracking unit 304 may awaken at the end of an interval,provide its current position, and determine whether there is an activetracking event for the mobile tracking unit 304. The mobile trackingunit 304 may then determine whether to enter the low power mode for anadditional sleep interval, the length of the sleep interval, and whichmethod of location to use to determines its next location.

In one embodiment, the mobile tracking unit 304 awakens from the lowpower mode and determines the current position (i.e., the position attime t) of the mobile tracking unit 304 using the low power locationmodule 310. The mobile tracking unit 304 may also receive the currentposition of the base station 302 over the cellular network 404. Themobile tracking unit 304 may then compare the difference between thecurrent position of the mobile tracking unit 304 and the currentposition of the base station 302. The mobile tracking unit 304 may storea value in a memory location to be checked by the mobile tracking unit304 at the end of the next sleep interval. If the difference is greaterthan a predefined value, the mobile tracking unit 304 may store a valuecausing the mobile tracking unit 304 to use the low power locationmodule 310 to determine the next position of the mobile tracking unit304. If the difference is smaller than the predefined value, the mobiletracking unit 304 may store a value causing the mobile tracking unit 304to use the high power location module 312 to determine the next positionof the mobile tracking unit 304. The mobile tracking unit 304 may thenenter low power mode.

At the end of the next sleep interval (i.e., at the time t+1), themobile tracking unit 304 awakens and checks the value written to thememory location. The value ‘0’ may be associated with the low powerlocation module 310 and the value ‘1’ associated with the high powerlocation module 312. If the value ‘1’ is stored in the memory location,the mobile tracking unit 304 may determine its next position (i.e., thecurrent position at time t+1) using the high power location module 312,such as a GPS module that may use the GPS system 402.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may communicate the current position and/orthe next position using the cellular network 404. Where the mobiletracking unit 304 is using the GPS system 402 to determine its position,the mobile tracking unit 304 may receive GPS data from the GPS system402 and send that GPS data in a message to the base station 302, thecontrol unit 102, or both. The mobile tracking unit 304, when the GPSmodule is active, may use a combination of the GPS system 402 and thecellular network 404 to determine its position. For example, the mobiletracking unit 304 may use assisted GPS (often referred to as A-GPS oraGPS) to improve the speed and accuracy with which the mobile trackingunit 304 may determine its position using the GPS system 402.

FIG. 5 illustrates one possible implementation through which a mobiletracking unit 304 may determine its position. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 5, the control unit 102 is associated with an RFID range 502, afirst wireless network range 504, and a second wireless network range506. In such an embodiment, the mobile tracking unit 304 may include anRFID tag, a wireless Internet module, a cellular module, and a GPSmodule.

The control unit 102 may include an RFID reader capable of receiving anRFID signal from the mobile tracking unit 304. The mobile tracking unit304 may include a passive RFID tag that the control unit 102 may readregardless of whether the controller of the mobile tracking unit 304 isin a sleep mode or an active mode. In other embodiments, the mobiletracking unit 304 includes an active RFID tag that provides a largerRFID range 502. The control unit 102 may be in communication withadditional RFID readers throughout a facility such as a house. TheseRFID readers may be configured to communicate with the mobile trackingunit 304 and to provide information about the location of the mobiletracking unit 304 to the control unit 102.

The mobile tracking unit 304, upon awaking from a sleep interval, mayfirst attempt to communicate with the control unit 102 using the lowestpower option; for example, through RFID. If the mobile tracking unit 304is outside the RFID range 502, the mobile tracking unit 304 will not beable to communicate using RFID. The mobile tracking unit 304 may poweroff an RFID module and power on a next-lowest power option, such as awireless Internet module, and attempt to communicate with the controlunit 102 using the next-lowest power option.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may be associated with a first wirelessnetwork range 504 and a second wireless network range 506. The mobiletracking unit 304 may search for one or more wireless Internet networksthrough which the mobile tracking unit 304 may communicate informationand provide position information relating to the position of the mobiletracking unit 304. For example, the mobile tracking unit 304 may providea message to the control unit 102 indicating that it is communicatingover the wireless network associated with the first wireless networkrange 504. The control unit 102 may determine that the mobile trackingunit 304 is on the premises associated with the first wireless networkrange 504. If the mobile tracking unit 304 also reports that it is incommunication with the second wireless network, the control unit 102 mayfurther determine that the mobile tracking unit 304 is located in anarea where the first wireless network range 504 and the second wirelessnetwork range 506 overlap. In other embodiments, the determination ofthe location of the mobile tracking unit 304 is made by the mobiletracking unit 304.

After communicating with the control unit 102, the mobile tracking unit304 may store a value in memory causing the mobile tracking unit 304,upon awaking from the next sleep interval, to make its firstcommunication attempt using the wireless Internet module. This mayprevent the mobile tracking unit 304 from unnecessarily attempting touse the RFID module to communicate with the control unit 102 when it isreasonable to assume that the mobile tracking unit 304 is out of theRFID range 502. If, after a later communication, the mobile trackingunit 304 position is again in the RFID range 502, as determined usingthe wireless Internet module, the mobile tracking unit 304 may store avalue in memory causing the mobile tracking unit 304, upon awaking fromthe next sleep interval, to attempt to communicate using the RFIDmodule.

Similarly, if the mobile tracking unit 304 is out of the first wirelessnetwork range 504 and the second wireless network range 506, the mobiletracking unit 304 may power off the wireless Internet module and poweron a cellular module for communicating over a cellular network 404. Themobile tracking unit 304 may, on subsequent awakenings, attempt to usethe cellular network 404. If a subsequent position of the mobiletracking unit 304, as determined using the cellular network 404, is inthe first wireless network range 504, the mobile tracking unit 304 may,on a subsequent awakening, first attempt to use the first wirelessnetwork range 504. Such an approach may help prevent the mobile trackingunit 304 from wasting power attempting to communicate over out-of-rangenetworks, while still ensuring that the mobile tracking unit 304attempts to use the lowest-power communications method.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a case where a user has initiatedan active tracking event and the base station 302 is outside thespecified range 602. While the ranges discussed in connection with FIG.5 represented a maximum distance over which the mobile tracking unit 304could communicate using the associated network, the specified range 602represents a distance between the mobile tracking unit 304 and the basestation 302. The mobile tracking unit 304 may change its behavior oncethe base station 302 is within the specified range 602.

In the depicted embodiment, the mobile tracking unit 304 and the basestation 302 communicate using the cellular network 404. The mobiletracking unit 304 may, for example, report its current location. Whilethe base station 302 is outside the specified range 602, the mobiletracking unit 304 may determine its position using a low-power approachsuch as cellular approaches based on the cellular network 404. Themobile tracking unit 304 may determine its position using the cellularnetwork 404 and communicate its position to the base station 302 overthe cellular network 404. The base station 302 may determine itsposition using the GPS system 402 and communicate its position to themobile tracking unit 304 over the cellular network 404. In otherembodiments, the base station 302 uses the cellular network 404 insteadof, or in addition to, the GPS system 402 to determine the position ofthe base station 302.

The base station 302 may communicate its current position to the mobiletracking unit 304, which may then compare the current position of thebase station 302 and the current position of the mobile tracking unit304 in order to determine whether the base station 302 is within thespecified range 602. The mobile tracking unit 304 may also use thecurrent position of the base station 302 to decide which method ofdetermining its position the mobile tracking unit 304 should use. Inother embodiments, the base station 302 receives the current position ofthe mobile tracking unit 304 and determines whether the base station 302is within the specified range 602 of the mobile tracking unit 304. Ifthe base station 302 is within the specified range 602, the base station302 may send a command instructing the mobile tracking unit 304 to usethe GPS system 402 to determine the mobile tracking unit 304 location.

While FIG. 6 shows the specified range 602 as a sphere surrounding themobile tracking unit 304, a non-spherical range may be desirable inother embodiments. Furthermore, while the specified range 602 in FIG. 6is illustrated as surrounding the mobile tracking unit 304, it may alsobe correct to illustrate the specified range 602 as surrounding the basestation 302.

FIG. 7 illustrates the base station 302 and the mobile tracking unit 304within the specified range 602. When the base station 302 is within thespecified range 602 while there is an active tracking event for themobile tracking unit 304, the mobile tracking unit 304 may begin using ahigh power location module 312 such as a GPS module. For example, themobile tracking unit 304, as illustrated in FIG. 7, may begin to requestand to receive position information from the GPS system 402. The mobiletracking unit 304 may communicate its current position, as determinedusing the GPS system 402, to the base station 302 over the cellularnetwork 404. As noted above, the mobile tracking unit 304 may use boththe cellular network 404 and the GPS system 402 together to determineits current position.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may also adjust the length of the sleepinterval in response to the base station 302 approaching the mobiletracking unit 304. In certain embodiments, the mobile tracking unit 304gradually decreases the length of the sleep interval as the base station302 approaches the mobile tracking unit 304. The mobile tracking unit304 may also be configured to remain in a powered on stage once the basestation 302 is within the specified range 602. Such an approach maymaximize battery life for the mobile tracking unit 304 without undulycompromising the ability of the user to locate the mobile tracking unit304.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may take additional actions as the basestation 302 approaches the mobile tracking unit 304. For example, themobile tracking unit 304 may have an alarm range 702. When the basestation 302 enters the alarm range 702, the mobile tracking unit 304 maybegin generating alarms to help the user locate the mobile tracking unit304. For example, the mobile tracking unit 304 may generate audioalarms, such as beeps or chirps. The mobile tracking unit 304 maygenerate visual alarms, such as flashing an LED light. The mobiletracking unit 304 may vibrate. Other alarms, or combinations of theabove, may also be used to help the user locate the mobile tracking unit304 when the user is within the alarm range 702. In certain embodiments,the user may disable the alerts from the base station 302 if alerts arenot desirable.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may prompt the user to end the activetracking event when the user has located the mobile tracking unit 304.For example, the mobile tracking unit 304 may include a button that theuser may press to end the alarms described above. The mobile trackingunit 304 may interpret the button press as an input to end the alarmsand to signal the end of the active tracking event. The mobile trackingunit 304 may send a message to the base station 302 and/or the controlunit 102 indicating that the active tracking event has been closed. Inother embodiments, the base station 302 prompts the user to end theactive tracking event using the base station 302. For example, the basestation 302 may have a graphical user interface (GUI) with a button thatthe user may press when the user has located the mobile tracking unit304. In response, the base station 302 may send a message to the mobiletracking unit 304 and/or the control unit 102 indicating that the activetracking has been closed. A similar approach may be used to allow theuser to end the active tracking event from the control unit 102.

FIG. 8 illustrates one embodiment of a mobile tracking unit 304. Themobile tracking unit 304 may include a controller 802, an RFID module806, a wireless Internet module 812, a cellular module 808, and a GPSmodule 810. The mobile tracking unit 304 may include additional ordifferent modules than those illustrated in FIG. 8.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may have a variety of form factors. Incertain embodiments, as noted above, the mobile tracking unit 304 may bea portable electronic device (such as a cellular phone) having softwareto implement tracking functionality. In other embodiments, the mobiletracking unit 304 is a stand-alone unit. The mobile tracking unit 304may be a small tag that may be attached to a pet's collar, a child'sshirt, a purse, a set of keys, or other item. The mobile tracking unit304 may be a key fob. The mobile tracking unit 304 may be waterproof tomaximize protection for the mobile tracking unit 304. The mobiletracking unit 304 may also have one or more connectors allowing the userto charge the battery of the mobile tracking unit 304, and/or downloaddata such as positional data. The mobile tracking unit 304 may befurther configured to receive data over a data connection; for example,the user may be able to upload data, such as fences defining ageographic boundary for the mobile tracking unit 304, over theconnection. In other embodiments, data may be downloaded and uploadedremotely through cellular or wireless Internet connections.

The RFID module 806 may include an RFID transmitter and/or receiver forcommunicating messages using RFID. The RFID module 806 may includepassive RFID components, battery-assisted RFID components, or activeRFID components. In certain embodiments, the RFID module 806 may poweron and power off the controller 802. The RFID module 806 may beconfigured to keep the controller 802 powered off while the RFID module806 is in communication with one or more known RFID readers, such as anRFID reader associated with the control unit 102. The controller 802 maybe able to turn the RFID module 806 module on and off.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may also include a wireless Internet(commonly referred to as WiFi) module 812. The wireless Internet module812 may enable the mobile tracking unit 304 to communicate in accordancewith the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE)802.11 standards. As described above, the mobile tracking unit 304 mayuse the wireless Internet module 812 to determine its location inaddition to communicating messages with other devices such as the basestation 302 and the control unit 102. The controller 802 may be able toturn the wireless Internet module 812 on and off.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may also include a cellular module 808enabling the mobile tracking unit 304 to communicate information over acellular network 404. The cellular module 808 may further allow themobile tracking unit 304 to determine its location, as described above.The cellular module 808 may use any of a variety of cellulartechnologies, including Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM),General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Code Division Multiple Access(CDMA), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), or others. Themobile tracking unit 304 may be able to turn the cellular module 808 onand off.

The mobile tracking unit 304 may also include a GPS module 810 thatallows the mobile tracking unit 304 to receive positional informationfrom a GPS system 402. The GPS module 810 communicates with one or moreGPS satellites and gathers position information which may be received bythe controller 802. As above, the mobile tracking unit 304 may be ableto turn the GPS module 810 on and off.

In one embodiment, the controller 802 is configured to attempt todetermine its location using networks that are local to a control unit102. For example, a home may have a wireless internet network and anRFID reader on the premises. The controller 802 may, when needing todetermine the location of the mobile tracking unit 304, begin by tryingthe RFID module 806 and the wireless internet module 812. If thecontroller 802 may establish a connection with a local network, thecontroller 802 may report its location based on that connection. In oneembodiment, only if the controller 802 cannot connect to a local networkdoes the controller 802 attempt to use the cellular module 808 and/orthe GPS module 810 to determine the location of the mobile tracking unit304. In such an embodiment, the mobile tracking unit 304 may still allowthe user and/or the base station 302 to instruct the controller 802 touse the cellular module 808 and/or the GPS module 810 and thus overridethe above-described behavior.

The controller 802 may store data and instructions in memory 804. Thecontroller 802 may implement one or more programs to give the mobiletracking unit 304 described in this disclosure. The controller 802 maycause the mobile tracking unit 304 to periodically determine thelocation of the mobile tracking unit 304. The controller 802 maydetermine its location, report its location using one of the modulesdescribed above, and enter a low power state for a sleep interval.

In one embodiment, the controller 802 powers on following a sleepinterval. The controller 802 may power on the wireless Internet module812 and generate a message asking whether there is an active trackingevent for the mobile tracking unit 304. The controller 802 may alsoprovide its location using the wireless Internet module 812. If there isno active tracking event open, the controller 802 may power off thewireless Internet module 812 and enter the low power mode for a sleepinterval. In one embodiment, the sleep interval is twenty minutes.

After the sleep interval, the controller 802 may again power on and turnon the wireless Internet module 812. The controller 802 may not be ableto find a wireless network using the wireless Internet module 812. Thecontroller 802 may turn off the wireless Internet module 812 and poweron a cellular module 808. The controller 802 may then generate a messageasking whether there is an active tracking event for the mobile trackingunit 304 and providing its current location using the cellular module808. If there is no active tracking event open, the controller 802 maystore a value in memory 804 such that, when the controller 802 nextpowers on, it uses the cellular module 808 to attempt communicationinstead of the wireless Internet module 812. The controller 802 may turnoff the cellular module 808 and enter the low power mode for the sleepinterval.

After the sleep interval, the controller 802 may again power on and turnon the cellular module 808. The controller 802 may determine that thereis an active tracking event for the mobile tracking unit 304. Thecontroller 802 may also receive, over the cellular module 808, theposition of the base station 302 associated with the active trackingevent. The controller 802 may compare the current position of the mobiletracking unit 304 with the current position of the base station 302. Ifthe difference is greater than a predefined value, the controller 802may store a value in memory 804 such that, when the controller 802 nextpowers on, it uses the cellular module 808 to determine its location.The controller 802 may also shorten the length of the sleep interval.For example, the controller 802 may shorten the length of the sleepinterval to five minutes.

In certain embodiments, the controller 802 dynamically shortens thelength of the sleep interval based on the difference between the currentposition of the mobile tracking unit 304 and the base station 302. Thecontroller 802 may shorten the length of the sleep interval as the basestation 302 gets closer to the mobile tracking unit 304.

After the five-minute sleep interval, the controller 802 again powers onand turns on the cellular module 808 to determine its current positionand exchange information with the base station 302. The controller 802may determine that the distance separating the base station 302 and themobile tracking unit 304 is less than the predefined value. In response,the controller 802 may make future determinations of the position of themobile tracking unit 304 using the GPS module 810.

The controller 802 may maintain an active state while the base station302 is within the predefined distance from the mobile tracking unit 304.The controller 802 may keep power to the cellular module 808 in order tocommunicate with the base station 302, and may also power on the GPSmodule 810. As the controller 802 receives position information from theGPS module 810, the controller 802 may use that information to determineits current position and send that information to the base station 302.The controller 802 may continue to monitor the distance between themobile tracking unit 304 and the base station 302. The controller 802may cause the alert module 814 to generate one or more perceivablealarms for the user, as described above, once the base station 302 iswithin a certain distance from the mobile tracking unit 304.

The controller 802 may also adjust the length of the sleep intervalbased on whether or not the position of the mobile tracking unit 304 ischanging. If the position of the mobile tracking unit 304 has beensubstantially the same for a number of checks, the controller 802 maydecrease the frequency with which the controller 802 checks the positionof the mobile tracking unit 304. The controller 802 may, for example,increase the length of the sleep interval each time the current positionfalls within the margin of error for the selected position-determiningapproach. The controller 802 may set a maximum length for the sleepinterval. For example, the sleep interval may not be allowed to exceedone hour.

In another embodiment, the controller 802 may change the frequency withwhich it checks position based on the current location of the mobiletracking unit 304. In one embodiment, a user may define virtual fencesfor the mobile tracking unit 304. The behavior of the controller 802 mayvary depending on whether the mobile tracking unit 304 is within thefence or outside the fence. The controller 802 may be configured tosleep for sleep intervals (as described above) while within the fence,but may be configured to remain active while outside the fence. Thecontroller 802 may be configured to keep the cellular module 808 on andconnected while outside the fence such that the mobile tracking unit 304may immediately receive communications (such as a notification of anactive tracking event) while outside the fence.

The controller 802 may also be configured to adjust the length of thesleep interval based on the battery level for the mobile tracking unit304. The controller 802 may, for example, maintain the sleep interval ata longer length than normal as the user approaches the mobile trackingunit 304 if the battery level is low. The controller 802 may beconfigured to increase the length of the sleep interval as the batterylevel decreases. The controller 802 may, for example, increase thelength of the sleep interval if the battery level is low and there is noactive tracking event open for the mobile tracking unit 304. Thecontroller 802 may also be configured to send an alert to the controlunit 102 and/or the base station 302 that the battery level is low, andthat the battery needs to be charged and/or replaced. Such embodimentsmay help prevent the mobile tracking unit 304 from running out ofbattery power before the user may locate the mobile tracking unit 304.

In certain embodiments, the controller 802 may, after determining thecurrent position of the mobile tracking unit 304, compare the currentposition with a previous position. The controller 802 may send thecurrent position of the mobile tracking unit 304 only if the currentposition is substantially different from the previous position. Thecontroller 802 may be aware of the estimated accuracy with which theposition of the mobile tracking unit 304 may be reported for theapproach used to determine the current position. For example, when usingthe cellular module 808 to determine position, the mobile tracking unit304 may be able to determine accuracy within fifty meters. Thecontroller 802 may be configured to report the current position only ifit is more than fifty meters away from the previous position of thecontroller mobile tracking unit 304.

The controller 802 may also include a user interface allowing a user toprovide input. The user interface may be as simple as a few pushbuttons. In one embodiment, the user interface allows a user to initiatean active tracking event from the mobile tracking unit 304. In response,the controller 802 may awaken and transmit position information, andnotification of the active tracking event, to the control unit 102and/or the base station 302. Such an embodiment may allow a lost childto alert a parent that the child is lost and requires assistance. Wherethe mobile tracking unit 304 is attached to a purse, keys, or otherinanimate object, the user interface may allow the finder to easilyalert the owner that the item has been lost. Given that, in manyinstances, the owner may not be aware that the item has been lost for aperiod of time, the user interface may beneficially allow the finder toprovide appropriate notification and alert the owner.

FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment of a method 900 for maintaining theposition of a mobile tracking unit. The method 900 shown in FIG. 9 isone embodiment of a method related to aspects of the present disclosure.The present disclosure may involve more, fewer, or different steps thanthose shown. Unless stated otherwise, the steps shown in FIG. 9 may beperformed in an order other than that shown in FIG. 9.

The method 900 may begin at block 902 with determining the currentposition of the mobile tracking unit. The mobile tracking unit mayreport its position using the approaches described above. The method mayfurther involve, at block 904, determining the current position of abase station. At block 906, the method may involve determining thedifference between the current position of the mobile tracking unit andthe base station. This step may be performed by the base station, themobile tracking unit, a control unit, or other component incommunication with the base station and the mobile tracking unit.

The method 900 may also involve determining, at block 908, whether thedifference between the current position of the mobile tracking unit andthe base station is greater than a predefined value that represents adistance. If the difference is greater than the predefined value, themethod may involve, at block 912, determining the next position of themobile tracking unit using a low power location module. The low powerlocation module may use, for example, cellular signals, wirelessInternet signals, RFID signals, or other approaches to determine thenext position.

If the difference is not greater than the predefined value, the method900 may involve, at block 910, further determining whether an activetracking event for the mobile tracking unit is open. If not, the method900 may involve determining the next position of the mobile trackingunit using the low power location module as shown at block 912. If anactive tracking event for the mobile tracking unit is open, the methodmay involve determining, at block 914, the next position of the mobiletracking unit using the high power location module. The method 900 mayfurther involve, at block 916, reporting the current position of themobile tracking unit.

FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of a method 1000 for determining theposition of a mobile tracking unit. The method 1000 shown in FIG. 10 isone embodiment of a method related to aspects of the present disclosure.The present disclosure may involve more, fewer, or different steps thanthose shown. Unless stated otherwise, the steps shown in FIG. 10 may beperformed in an order other than that shown in FIG. 10.

The method 1000 may begin at block 1002 with communicating with acontrol unit of the automation and security system. Block 1004 includesdetermining a position of the mobile tracking unit relative to the basestation using a low power location module. At block 1006, the method1000 includes communicating the position of the mobile tracking deviceto at least one of the base station and a control unit of the automationand security system. Block 1008 includes continuing to track theposition of the mobile tracking device with the low power locationmodule when the mobile tracking unit is outside a specified range fromthe mobile tracking unit. Block 1010 includes determining the positionof the mobile tracking unit using a high power location module when themobile tracking unit is inside the specified range from the mobiletracking unit.

FIG. 11 illustrates one embodiment of a method 1100 for maintaining theposition of a mobile tracking unit 304. The method 1100 shown in FIG. 11is one embodiment of a method related to aspects of the presentdisclosure. The present disclosure may involve more, fewer, or differentsteps than those shown. Unless stated otherwise, the steps shown in FIG.11 may be performed in an order other than that shown in FIG. 11.

The method 1100 may begin at block 1102, wherein with determining acurrent position of a mobile tracking unit. Block 1104 includesdetermining a current position of a base station. At block 1106, themethod 1100 includes determining a next position of the mobile trackingunit using a low power location module in response to a differencebetween the current position of the mobile tracking unit and the currentposition of the base station being greater than a predefined value.Block 1108 includes determining a next position of the mobile trackingunit using a high power location module in response to a differencebetween the current position of the mobile tracking unit and the currentposition of the base station being greater than a predefined value.

While the foregoing disclosure sets forth various embodiments usingspecific block diagrams, flowcharts, and examples, each block diagramcomponent, flowchart step, operation, and/or component described and/orillustrated herein may be implemented, individually and/or collectively,using a wide range of hardware, software, or firmware (or anycombination thereof) configurations. In addition, any disclosure ofcomponents contained within other components should be consideredexemplary in nature since many other architectures may be implemented toachieve the same functionality.

The process parameters and sequence of steps described and/orillustrated herein are given by way of example only and may be varied asdesired. For example, while the steps illustrated and/or describedherein may be shown or discussed in a particular order, these steps donot necessarily need to be performed in the order illustrated ordiscussed. The various exemplary methods described and/or illustratedherein may also omit one or more of the steps described or illustratedherein or include additional steps in addition to those disclosed.

Furthermore, while various embodiments have been described and/orillustrated herein in the context of fully functional computing systems,one or more of these exemplary embodiments may be distributed as aprogram product in a variety of forms, regardless of the particular typeof computer-readable media used to actually carry out the distribution.The embodiments disclosed herein may also be implemented using softwaremodules that perform certain tasks. These software modules may includescript, batch, or other executable files that may be stored on acomputer-readable storage medium or in a computing system. In someembodiments, these software modules may configure a computing system toperform one or more of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein.

The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has beendescribed with reference to specific embodiments. However, theillustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or tolimit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modificationsand variations are possible in view of the above teachings. Theembodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the present systems and methods and their practicalapplications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to bestutilize the present systems and methods and various embodiments withvarious modifications as may be suited to the particular usecontemplated.

Unless otherwise noted, the terms “a” or “an,” as used in thespecification and claims, are to be construed as meaning “at least oneof” In addition, for ease of use, the words “including” and “having,” asused in the specification and claims, are interchangeable with and havethe same meaning as the word “comprising.” In addition, the term “basedon” as used in the specification and the claims is to be construed asmeaning “based at least upon.”

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method associated with anautomation and/or security system, comprising: determining a basestation position; determining a mobile tracking unit position;communicating at least one of a message to the mobile tracking unitassociated with the base station position or a message to the basestation associated with the mobile tracking unit position; receiving amessage from the mobile tracking unit associated with one of a low powerlocation component of the mobile tracking unit based at least in part ona first distance between the mobile tracking unit position and the basestation position being greater than a threshold, or a high powerlocation component of the mobile tracking unit based at least in part onthe distance being less than the threshold.
 2. The method of claim 1,further comprising: determining whether the first distance between thebase station position and the mobile tracking unit position is less thanthe threshold.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein communicating at leastone of the message to the mobile tracking unit associated with the basestation position or the message to the base station associated withmobile tracking unit position comprises: communicating, based at leastin part on the determining whether the first distance is less than thethreshold, an indication whether the first distance is less than thethreshold.
 4. The method of claim 2, further comprising: issuing acommand, based at least in part on the determining whether the firstdistance is less than the threshold, to the mobile tracking unit to useone of the low power location component if the first distance is greaterthan the threshold, or the high power location component if the firstdistance is less than the threshold.
 5. The method of claim 4, whereindetermining the mobile tracking unit position comprises determining themobile tracking unit position at a first time; and wherein using one ofthe low power location component or the high power location componentcomprises using one of the lower power location component or the highpower component to determine the mobile tracking unit position at asecond time.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the message from themobile tracking unit associated with the low power location componentcomprises an indication of the mobile tracking unit position determinedusing the low power location component; or wherein the message from themobile tracking unit associated with the high power location componentcomprises an indication of the mobile tracking unit position determinedusing the high power location component.
 7. The method of claim 6,wherein the indication of the mobile tracking unit position is of themobile tracking unit position at a first time; and wherein the mobiletracking unit position determined using one of the low power locationcomponent or the high power location component comprises the mobiletracking position determined using one of the low power locationcomponent or the high power location component at a second time, whereinthe second time is after the first time.
 8. The method of claim 7,wherein determining the base station position comprises determining thebase station position at a first time; and wherein communicating to themobile tracking unit the message associated with the base stationposition comprises communicating to the mobile tracking unit a firstmessage associated with the base station position at the first time; andfurther comprising communicating to the mobile tracking unit a secondmessage associated with the base station position at a second time. 9.The method of claim 8, wherein the base station position at the firsttime is different from the base station position at the second time; andwherein the mobile tracking unit position at the first time is differentfrom the mobile tracking unit position at the second time.
 10. Themethod of claim 1, wherein determining the mobile tracking unit positioncomprises at least one of receiving from the mobile tracking unit anindication of the mobile tracking unit position, or receiving from thebase station an indication of the mobile tracking unit position; andwherein determining the base station position comprises at least one ofreceiving from the base station an indication of the base stationposition, or receiving from mobile tracking unit an indication of thebase station position.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving themessage from the mobile tracking unit associated with the low powerlocation component of the mobile tracking unit comprises receiving amessage from the mobile tracking unit associated with a cellular moduleconfigured to communicate over a cellular network; and wherein receivingthe message from the mobile tracking unit associated with the high powerlocation component of the mobile tracking unit comprises receiving amessage from the mobile tracking unit associated with a globalpositioning system (GPS) module configured to obtain locationinformation for the mobile tracking unit using a GPS network.
 12. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: initiating an active trackingevent.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein initiating the activetracking event is based at least in part on receiving a user input fromat least one of a control unit of the automation and/or security system,the mobile tracking unit, the base station, or a network.
 14. The methodof claim 12, wherein receiving the message from the mobile tracking unitassociated with the high power location component is further based atleast in part on receiving the initiated active tracking event.
 15. Themethod of claim 12, further comprising prompting a user to take anaction to end the active tracking event.
 16. The method of claim 12,wherein receiving the message from the mobile tracking unit associatedwith one of the low power location component of the high power componentcomprises receiving information associated with the mobile tracking unitposition at more frequent intervals based at least in part on at leastone of the active tracking event or the first distance being greaterthan the threshold or the first distance being greater than anotherthreshold.
 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile tracking unitcomprises a certain mobile tracking unit of a plurality of mobiletracking units; and wherein determining the mobile tracking unitposition is based at least in part on a user selection of the certainmobile tracking unit out of the plurality of mobile tracking units. 18.The method of claim 1, further comprising: logging informationassociated with at least one of the base station position or the mobiletracking unit position.
 19. A control unit of an automation and/orsecurity system, comprising: a processor; a memory in electroniccommunication with the processor; and instructions stored in the memory,the instructions being executable by the processor to: determine a basestation position; determine a mobile tracking unit position; communicateat least one of a message to the mobile tracking unit associated withthe base station position or a message to the base station associatedwith the mobile tracking unit position; receive a message from themobile tracking unit associated with one of a low power locationcomponent of the mobile tracking unit based at least in part on a firstdistance between the mobile tracking unit position and the base stationposition being greater than a threshold, or a high power locationcomponent of the mobile tracking unit based at least in part on thedistance being less than the threshold.
 20. A method for tracking,comprising: determining a base station position; determining a mobiletracking unit position; communicating at least one of a message to themobile tracking unit associated with the base station position or amessage to the base station associated with the mobile tracking unitposition; receiving a message from the mobile tracking unit associatedwith one of a low power location component of the mobile tracking unitbased at least in part on a first distance between the mobile trackingunit position and the base station position being greater than athreshold, or a high power location component of the mobile trackingunit based at least in part on the distance being less than thethreshold.